Consultants have it pretty good. They get paid (usually a lot) to be valuable. Consultants get paid those big bucks to move projects forward, problem solve, provide expertise, and sometimes just to be available. I would love it if someone paid me to be valuable (I am available). But am I valuable? I find myself asking that often. What makes me valuable? I know I have some value, but how much and to who? I want to increase my value. Maybe I want to feel important or maybe I just want to contribute to the world, but I am actively trying to increase my value. I think 3 things can help you learn how to be valuable or increase your value.
Who you know:
Your network, your connections, and your relationships have a lot of value. Being able to connect people and peoples ideas with other people and other peoples ideas can produce great things. You want to have a deep bench to call on when you need something. When you need money, who do you call? When you have a new idea, who do you call? You want to be like the God Father, he has a “guy” for everything.
Increase your value by building your network, making new connections, connecting others, following up, and staying connected. Connect across many disciplines, you want to be just as wide as you are deep. James Altucher has a great blog post about becoming a Super Connector, read it.
What you know:
Your insight, your expertise, and your knowledge have value. Your ability to express what you know, communicate it, and have people understand it can spread your value. A lot of people can BS their way through it, but are not actually valuable. Don’t just BS it. Learn it, know it, and share it.
Increase your value by learning, reading, studying, questioning, and exploring. Don’t be narrow in your knowledge but expand and learn new skills, subjects, and disciplines. Be a jack of all trades and a master of everything.
Work ethic:
Who you know and what you know can be grown, but your work ethic is the foundation of both. Your willingness to work hard, put in the time and energy, and to having a good attitude has value. Someone who is willing to work hard is more valuable than any well networked expert. No one wants someone who is only giving 80%, people are valuable when they are giving 100% or more.
Increase your value by being available, flexible, and having a good attitude. Be willing to get your hands dirty. Be willing to learn what you don’t know. Be willing to go the extra mile. Just be willing. If you work hard people notice. And if you work hard at being valuable, with just a little luck, maybe you will be.
